"I’m no spring chicken. I’m probably in the best form of my career so far and it’s one of those ones when you don’t want to be playing second fiddle."

Fast forward five months and the 27-year-old is playing second fiddle to Moussa Dembele once again, having started two of his last seven games for Celtic and, with January around the corner, you wonder whether the Scottish hitman would be willing to leave Parkhead.

If he is open to leaving Glasgow then Sunderland should certainly enquire about his services, amid speculation that Lewis Grabban could be heading to Championship leaders Wolves.

Whether he goes or not, Chris Coleman needs to prepare in the event that he does and the new Sunderland boss should consider a punt on the out-of-favour Celtic star.

Griffiths, who hit the 40-goal mark during the 2015-16 campaign, is an exceptional talent in the Premiership but his exploits North of the border will naturally prompt questions over his capacity to be as lethal in a more competitive division, such as the Championship

But four goals in his last five World Cup qualifiers with Scotland - including two stunners against England - should illustrate his effectiveness at a higher level and he shouldn't be automatically dismissed on the basis that his Celtic form is irrelevant.

The ex-Wolves star, who managed 12 League One goals in 17 starts in 2013, has not signed an extension with the Hoops for close to two years, and Griffiths, whose existing deal expires in 2021, is unlikely to sign a new one while Dembele remains Brendan Rodgers' go-to-guy.

The Frenchman is surely destined for bigger and better things than the Scottish Premiership in due course, meaning that Griffiths might well be the Bhoys' first-choice hitman again even next season, but you heard him - he is no spring chicken and doesn't want to spend most of the season behind Dembele.

Shane Callaghan

Shane is a Dublin-based sports writer who swapped the football pitch for the press box upon learning that he was better with a pen than with a round bit of leather. Prior to joining HITC, Shane enjoyed spells with Sports Mole and Goal.com among others, while he was also club reporter for Irish football club Drogheda United.